A Randomized Controlled Trial

Although a large number of homeless individuals need psychiatric and/or substance abuse treatment, few receive consistent care. This study tested the effectiveness of a shelter-based intervention that incorporated outreach by a psychiatric social worker and the availability of weekly psychiatrist visits to encourage the target population to seek psychiatric consultation. Researchers used a randomized controlled trial study design with 102 individuals referred to a shelter-based clinic. The main outcome of interest was the proportion of intervention and control group patients who attended an initial appointment at a community mental health center (CMHC).

Key Findings:

Sixty-five percent of study participants who received the intervention attended one or more CMHC appointments, as compared to 37 percent of control group participants.

Fifty-one percent of intervention group participants participated in a substance abuse program, as compared to 13 percent of control group participants.

Intervention group participants were more likely to attend two CMHC visits, however there were no significant differences between the two groups for attending three visits, being employed or having housing.